Garment seat cushion



M y 5 1953 'G.F.P1-SUT| 2,637,032

GARMENT SEAT CUSHION Filed July 25, 1950 ZSnnentor Giuseppe FPinsuzi Patented May 5, 1953 UNI TED STAT ES N i Fi QE GARMENT SEAT CTUS'HION Giuseppe-F. Pinsuti, NewYork, .N. 32.

Application iluly 25, 1950, Serial 1%.. 1%;673

1 This invention relates to garment cushions and particularly to that "type intendedtoavei'd inter-y and discomfort to the sitting area or the wearer. Persons Whose occupation, age or infirmities require then to sit for l'ongper'iods 'are :apt to experience discomfort-when seated arr-a relatively hard seat, especially if they" are notstout, due to the excessive pressure on "the ischium "bone on which the 'wei-ght'of "the "body principally rests in the ordinary sittingposition. *S'eatcush'ions are not always available for such persons, "nor .fOl those sitting outdoorsas on park-henhes or on the tree stumps, rocks or the ground at picnic or'scenic areas. Conseq-uently, discomfort caused by the hard seat or injuries due to splintersifrom wooden seats, or at least "excessive wear of the fabricseat-of the outerg-arment causing anundesirable shine at said seat, aren'ot infrequent.

The present invention thereforecontemplates th provision 'of' normally concealed cushioning means adapted to be worn on the outside of a nether nndergarment or on the 'i-nsi'deof a nether outer garment, at the seat of such garment, it!) protect the sitting area of the wearer against d-iscomfort'and injury.

The invention "further contemplates the provision of a substantially flat, inexpensive, light weight, res'ilent cushion aoi' such dimensions and shape as to be substantially unnoticeable worn, "for cushioning 'the sitting .aarea :of :the

wearer when the wearer is seated, the cushion being so associated withasgarment :a's1to hetzreadily removable therefrom when -th'e garment is 110 be cleaned or laundered, an easily washable-cover or pocket for the cushion "being provided to maintain the cushion in a clean icondition .ior transfer from one garment 'to a'noth'er when :LdE- sired.

- "The invention further contemplates the :pro

Whenithe weareriis sstandingyorrwaiking without interfering with any movement of the Woody 01' svithqiress'ing or "undressing and when adjustedto the required height, becoming properlyposi'tioned at the isi'tting :area o'i the wearer as the wearer is seated.

The various objects of the invention "will clear from the description which "follows :and from "the dratving, in which Fig. l is-a rear elevational view "of a nether undergarmen t suo'h'as mens drawers orwomens bloomersshowing'one for-m of the seatcushions applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a iront elevational view, with :part of the front coverremoved, :of a separate pair *of cushions adapted to "be inserted "into and'worn inthe interior of a nether-outergarment.

Fig. '3 is an enlarged 'i ragmentary horizontal sectional view of the cushion assembly taken :on the 1ine3-'-3-tofIFig. 1.

iFig. 4 1s a fragmentary perspective *view with parttofithe front removed, of another outere'arment such :as a skirt or trousers -showing the cushions removably pinned "thereto and also shnwing part iof rt'he cushion c'over removed.

.5 is anenlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view-of another form the :cushion :assemblmtthesection being taken on the line 5-5 of :Fig.. 2.

==6 .issan enlargedxfra'gmentary"vertical sectronal view .of the cushion assembly taken onthe iiner6+;6uof.;Fig.:2.

v:Ei-g. Tris v"atzfront ie'levational view "of another modified formiofrth-e cushion.

it will he understood that the seat cushions are rprerferablymade in pairs for individual "ad-- n,us-tment :to the person without interfering with the crotch, thatr-theyitmayhe arranged inapo'ckets on .an undergarment hr within :covers "which are not directly secured to zany garment, that they may 'gberwornwith :any type .of garmentandnan figlgg rlnloiwegloigrepllaced at any :timebut ineed' be ue o y-noruc eatnin our use: J ferstontherclothes. g p p s Grier tram iI-n that -illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. :1 and :3, suitable similar pocketsas l1] and ,slwl areformed inzany suitable manner to :be .Llezter explainedfin more detail on they-rearssurtace .12 of another tundergarment 1 -3 such :as ea jrpa-ir :of 'shorts, (drawers ;.or bloomers. Eachlof therpockets isiopen bothat the top edge .M thereof 'andratrhottom qgdge 15, but the inching :in the top edge i'of lesser width :than that sm the iibot'tom sedge *to insure against any dangerzof :the rCHSh'iOIl JCIESIJHIE :upwa17d1y;.' -:t of

the pocket. Aasn'itable substantiallyfiat cushion I6 is inserted into the pocket as by passing the upstanding strap l1 thereof upwardly through the relatively wide bottom opening and then through the relatively narrow top edge opening and then pulling upwardly on the strap to draw the required length of the strap out of the pocket and to pull the cushion it completely into the pocket. Preferably as shown, the pocket is some what higher than the height of the cushion to permit the cushion to be adjusted vertically within the pocket by pulling out the straps more or less. To secure the cushion in its adjusted position, the attaching strap H is provided with a series of vertically spaced apart button holes l8, l9 and as well as vertically spaced pairs of horizontally aligned pin-receiving holes as 2! 22.

To adjust the cushion within the pocket relatively to the surface [2 of the garment, the

cushion and its strap are raised or lowered inthe pocket to position the cushion according to the requirements of the wearer, whereafter the button 23 on the waistband 24 of the garment is passed through the nearest button hole of the strap. If no buttons are wanted or provided on the waistband, the strap is secured in any other suitable manner as by means of a safety pin 25 (Fig. 4) passed through a selected pair of pin holes 2|, 22 in the strap and through the waistband. Obviously, any other well known means for attaching a garment to the body may be used to hold the straps H, such as a belt, band or the like.

The pocket itself may be made of one or more pieces of fabric overlying the surface I2 of the garment and stitched thereto at the side edges of the overlying piece. As shown, the pocket It] is formed by stitching the inturned inner side edge portion 26 of the overlying piece of fabric to the rear of the garment as by the stitching 21. The other or outer side edge portion is inturned and similarly stitched by the stitching 29. The pocket II is similarly formed of another similar overlying piece of fabric. If it is desired that a single piece of fabric be used, said piece is similarly stitched to the garment at the side edges of the piece as by the stitching 29 and is also stitched along its middle by a vertical line of stitching to form the two pockets an obvious manner. The upper edge of the overlying sheet is preferably reduced in width adjacent the top opening of the pocket to approximately that of the strap I! by bevelling or rounding and stitching down either or both of the side portions 38, 3| of said edge, whereby said portions serve asstops preventing the cushion from being pulled out of the pocket under the stresses of normal use. The pockets may be made as far apart or as close together as may be found necessary to fit the individual wearer and of the proper height and width to receive cushions of the proper dimensions, the pockets being connected together by the seat portion of the undergarment which forms one face of each pocket.

The cushions themselves may also take a variety of different forms and may be made of various materials. As best shown in Fig. 3, the cushion I6 is made of a flat sheet of sponge or foam rubber of substantial thickness and provided with an integral backing sheet 32 of rubber or cloth adhesively secured in place without stitching and arranged on the face of the sponge rubber sheet nearer the body. As shown in Fig. 4, the cushion 34 is cut from a sheet of resilient wool felt or the like without any backing whatever. In Fig. 7 is shown a cushion 36 having aresilient layer provided with a backing 31 of woven straw stitched thereto as by the peripheral stitching 38. In Figs. 2, 5 and 6, the sponge rubber or foam rubber cushion member is backed by the leather or cloth sheet 39, the peripheral edge portions of the member being sandwiched between the edge tape of imitation leather or the like and which projects beyond the edges of the member, and the backing sheet 39. The lower end of the strap I! (Fig. 6) is arranged between the sheet 39 and the cushion member and is stitched in place by the same peripheral stitching 4la which secures the tape and the sheet 39 to the cushion member, an additional outer line of stitching as 4| securing the tape and the sheet directly together. In any case, the cushion is soft, yieldable and sufficiently resilient 'to retain its flat shape and is of sufficient substantial thickness to prevent discomfort when the wearer is seated on a hard surface. The cushion is also readily washable and is easily kept clean and in a sanitary condition.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, a pair of cushions 45, 46 is provided for use interiorly of any nether garment without any change in the construction of the garment. Instead of making cushion pockets on the outside rear of an undergarment, the cushion-receiving pockets 41, 48 are formed in a separate flexible and washable cover preferably of suitable fabric, the cover remaining unattached to the garment by any stitching and being connected thereto only by buttoning or otherwise fastening the cushion straps I! in place. As best seen in Fig. 5, the pocket-forming sheet for each pocket is folded at its middle as at 49 to form the integral inner side edge of the pocket and the side edges 5!, 52 of the sheet are inturned, brought together and stitched as by the stitching 53, the pocket being partly closed at the top edge by the bevelled or rounded parts 54 and thereby being partly open at the top edge and open at the bottom edge 55.

A triangular connecting strip 56 is inserted at the adjacent bevelled parts of the pockets and secured by the stitching 51, 58 to prevent the pockets from slipping about uncontrolledly and to connect the pockets permanently at the top, though the pockets are otherwise independent of each other and are unconnected at the adjacent side edges thereof to permit them to lie in different planes if necessary when in use. In this case, the cushions removably contained in the pockets may be of substantially the full size of the pockets because the adjustment in height is effected by moving the entire cushion assembly 59 consisting of the cushions, the straps thereof and the cover therefor as a unit up or down to the correct position and then securing the straps I! to the garment. Since the cushion pockets are connected only at the top, they do not extend across the crotch and do not interfere with movement or with sitting. If desired, the pockets may be made of a single piece folded in half to a width twice that of a single pocket. In such case, beside the stitching 53, 51 and 58, two additional vertical lines of stitching are made along the middle line of the folded sheet to divide the sheet into pockets and a cut is then made between said two lines to separate the pockets which remain independently adjustable in different planes while remaining connected at the top. As shown in Fig. 4, the cushion assembly 59 is arranged in place inside of a nether garment such as a skirt or pair of trousers or slacks 50 and between the garment and thefshody 101 the wearer with the backed surface of the 'cushion positioned toward the body "if the cushion is backed by the sheets -32, M or 39. The height of the assembly being adjusted, the ends. of the cushion straps 'l'! are secured to the-waist band by thepins 25 passing through 1a selected ipair of-pin-receiving holes 2-1, If suspender buttons are provided on the waistband, the straps are buttoned thereto. Or they *may be buttoned or pinned to "an ordinary 'belt or band arranged at the waist band.

,It will'ibeseen that in either form of the pockets, the \cushionsare removed when the cover :fthereor the garment is to be laundered, th'eacus'hions being placed into "a fresh cover or into a clean garment for reuse. It will also be 'that'I have provided effective seat cushions'associated with a nether garment and adapted to be positioned between an outer garment and the wearers body for preventing undue pressure, discomfort or injury when the wearer is seated on a hard surface or for a relatively long period, that the abrading effect of such hard surface on the outer garment adjacent the cushions is substantially reduced, thereby reducing the wear and avoiding the production of objectionable shine on the garment seat, that the height of the cushions is readily adjustable to fit the wearer's preferences, that the cushions may easily be secured in place and removed when desired, that they are unnoticeable Whether the wearer stands or sits, that they do not interfere with the usual garments or with the putting on or taking off of such garments, that they may be made of any desired thickness to accommodate lean persons and that they are well designed to accomplish their intended purposes.

While certain specific forms of the invention have herein been shown and described, various obvious changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A seat-cushioning assembly comprising a pair of seat cushions arranged in side by side relation and adapted to be arranged as a unit at the seat portion of a nether garment, means connecting the cushions comprising a flexible pocket removably holding each cushion, each pocket being closed at the side edges thereof and being open at the top and bottom edges thereof and means connecting the pockets, a strap secured to each cushion and extending loosely out through the open top edge of the pocket, each of the pockets being of fabric and having stitched together inturned outer side edge portions and an integral fold at the inner side edge thereof, each of the straps having vertically spaced apart button holes therein and also having a series of vertically spaced apart pairs of pin holes, the folds of the respective pockets being adjacent each other and being otherwise independent of each other and independent of the cushions.

2. A seat-cushioning assembly comprising a pair of juxtaposed seat cushions, a fabric pocket for each cushion open at the top and bottom edges, each of the pockets being of a single sheet of material having an integral fold at the inner side edge thereof and being stitched at the outer side edge thereof, the folds of the pockets extending part way only between the top and bottom edges of the pockets, the remainder of the edge of each pocket between the top edge thereof and the top of the fold thereof being stitched, a strap extendingirrom each cuslnonoutofthe top of zthe gpocket, :said strap having a series for spaced Elongitudinailkslits lrtherein, each slit terminating an enlarged hole at each :end thereof and a flexi ble connecting member "secured to the upper portions "of the pocket assembly and holding the top portions I only of the pockets against separation,

'i he seat-cushioning assembly "of claim 12, the ::connecting member being in the form "of a substantially triangular piece of sheet material and stitching securing said -triangular piece "to the upper portions zonly :of the pockets.

nholding member for a seat cushion com-- g-a ,pair 'of flexible pockets arranged inis'ide by side relation an d each partly open at the top edge thereof and open :at "the bottom edge there- "o'f, a flexible connecting member joining the upper portions only of the pockets, the lower portions of the pockets being movable relatively to each other laterally and transversely, a cushion in each pocket, and a strap secured to the top part of each cushion and projecting out of the pocket, said strap having a series of longitudinally spaced perforations therein.

5. A seat-cushioning assembly for use at the seat of a garment and comprising a pair of substantially flat seat cushions arranged in side by side relation and each of a sheet of soft yieldable material of substantial thickness, an elongated perforated strap secured to each sheet and extending therefrom and a pair of flexible pockets, one for each of the cushions, each of the pockets comprising a sheet of material having an integral fold at the inner side edge of the pocket, each of the pockets having an opening at the top edge thereof for the passage of a strap out of the pocket and having a wider opening at the bottom edge thereof for the insertion of the cushion into the pocket, the upper portions of the pockets tapering upwardly and inwardly, and a flexible connecting member of a piece of material independent of the garment and of the pockets securing only the upper portions of the pockets together for handling as a unit, the remaining parts of the pockets being movable relatively to each other and separable to a limited extent.

6. The seat-cushioning assembly of claim 5, the straps having spaced button holes and spaced pin-receiving holes therein.

7. A seat-cushioning assembly comprising a pair of substantially fiat seat cushions arranged in side by side relation and each of a sheet of soft yieldable material of substantial thickness, an elongated perforated strap secured to each sheet and extending therefrom and a pair of flexible pockets, one for each of the cushions, each of the pockets having an opening at the top edge thereof for the passage of a strap out of the pocket and having a wider opening at the bottom edge thereof for the insertion of the cushion into the pocket, the upper portions of the pockets tapering upwardly and inwardly, the straps having spaced button holes and spaced pin-receiving holes therein, a nether garment, and stitching securing the side edges of the pockets to the garment.

8. A seat-cushioning assembly adapted to be arranged within and at the seat portion of a nether garment, said assembly comprising a first pocket of a single sheet of material folded to present an integral fold along the major part of the inner side edge thereof and tapered to converge upwardly along the top parts of the inner and outer side edges thereof, the adjacent side edge portions of" the sheet and the adjacent tapered portions of the sheet being inturned,

stitching securing the inturned portions, a first cushion within the pocket, at second pocket of a single sheet of material folded similarly to the sheet of the first pocket to present an integral fold adjacent the fold of the first pocket and having similar inturned edge portions and similar stitching for said portions, a second cushion within the second pocket, a perforated strip secured to the top part of each cushion and extending out of the pocket, the top and bottom edges of each pocket being open, and connecting means for the assembled cushions and pockets holding said assembled cushions and pockets in side by siderelation, the folds of the pockets being below the connecting means and being relatively movable into and out of a coplanar po- -'si,tio'n and toward and from each other and being movable relatively to the connecting means.

9. The seat cushioning assembly of claim 8,

the connecting means comprising a triangular sheet of material above the folds of the pockets and stitched by the stitching to the tapered side edges of the pockets.

GIUSEPPE F. PDISUTI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

